Electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) is a by-product of the electric steelmaking industry and is produced in large quantities around the world. Recently, the worldwide production rate of EAFD has increased annually as the steel industry grows internationally. The estimated quantity of EAFD produced annually, worldwide, is about 3.7 million tons, of which European sources account for some 500,000-900,000 tons. In the United States, the approximate quantity of the EAFD produced every year is about 700,000-800,000 tons, and this rate of EAFD production is estimated to increase by 4-6% each year. The safe disposal of these by-products is expensive and continues to be a serious concern in many countries throughout the world. For example, the disposal cost in the United States alone has been estimated at upwards of approximately $200 million per year.
Moreover, there continues to be a lack of suitable disposal sites due to the potential negative environmental impact from EAFD. According to most authorities, including the European Waste Catalogue, EAFD is classified as a hazardous material (code 10 02 07), and thus, disposal at landfill sites before treatment is prohibited due to the potential leachability of heavy metals, such as Zn and Pb. Thus, there remains a strong need in the art for methods of safely disposing of EAFD.